Iranian Tankers Face Mine Blasts as Ghost Fleet Evades US Blockade

WHO:

Fox News - United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) conducted a months-long investigation and filmed the sanctioned tanker SOGL; Jemima Shelley, a senior UANI analyst, described the investigation and the tanker’s route.

Fox News - UANI identified the SOGL by IMO number 9208227. The vessel has been linked in sanctions records to Gravion Maritime Co. and has operated under the flags of Comoros and Zimbabwe.

Fox News - The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control added the SOGL to its sanctions list over alleged transportation of Iranian petroleum products since 2025.

Fox News - Fox News Digital said it contacted U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) for comment.

The Jerusalem Post - The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy spokesperson made statements about tankers allegedly striking mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Jerusalem Post - The United Kingdom Maritime and Trade Operations (UKMTO) Center reported that a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile.

NY Post - UANI documented the SOGL carrying Iranian LPG destined for China.

WHAT:

Fox News - UANI said the SOGL breached the U.S. blockade carrying approximately 500,000 barrels of Iranian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), received offshore fuel and other services near Malaysia, and later discharged its cargo at Xinzhou Port in China.

Fox News - Shelley said at least nine small tankers carrying Iranian oil or LPG had evaded restrictions since the blockade was reinstated, while no Iranian crude oil had successfully departed as an export since then.

Fox News - Shelley called the blockade “an overwhelming success” at preventing vessels carrying Iranian oil and petrochemicals from leaving the Gulf of Oman. She said successful breaches involved small, opportunistic tankers.

Fox News - The SOGL is described as a Handymax small tanker. UANI’s footage showed it sitting low in the water and receiving bunkering services from a smaller tanker.

Fox News - Bloomberg separately tracked the U.S.-sanctioned LPG carrier G Summer, with capacity of approximately 7,000 cubic meters, transmitting signals from the Arabian Sea beyond the U.S. blockade line. Its message said it had an “all Chinese crew”; shipping analytics listed Iran as its last cargo country and Galle, Sri Lanka, as its reported destination.

The Jerusalem Post - The IRGC spokesperson said two oil tankers exploded after striking Iranian naval mines while using an unauthorized route in the Strait of Hormuz. One was described as a supertanker engulfed in flames after a powerful explosion.

The Jerusalem Post - UKMTO said a nearby tanker’s master reported that another vessel had been hit by an unknown projectile.

The Jerusalem Post - The IRGC claimed that two tankers struck mines, sustained damage, and caught fire after disabling tracking systems and ignoring warnings. It also claimed a U.S. unmanned vessel was destroyed in the eastern Strait of Hormuz; the article said the U.S. military had not immediately confirmed that claim.

WHERE:

Fox News - The SOGL loaded LPG at Assaluyeh Port, Iran, and traveled to the Malaysian Eastern Outer Port Limits Anchorage (EOPL), about 70 kilometers off Malaysia’s coast, before sailing north through the South China Sea to Xinzhou Port, China.

The Jerusalem Post - The reported tanker incidents occurred in or near the Strait of Hormuz, including waters south and east of the strait.

WHEN:

Fox News - UANI said the SOGL loaded LPG in late August and breached the blockade on September 1. UANI chartered a supply vessel and entered the EOPL on September 16.

Fox News - The blockade was first imposed April 13, temporarily lifted in mid-June, and reinstated July 14 after diplomatic negotiations collapsed. OFAC listed the SOGL on October 8.

The Jerusalem Post - The incidents were reported on Sunday; the article also refers to related tanker incidents and an alleged unmanned-vessel attack on Friday.

The Jerusalem Post - A photograph caption identifies the Gambia-flagged tanker Bili anchored off Bandar Abbas, southern Iran, on May 2, 2026.

WHY:

Fox News - Shelley said EOPL serves as a staging and logistics hub for Iran’s sanctioned energy trade with China, allowing ships to wait offshore, receive supplies, transfer cargo, and store oil.

Fox News - Shelley said China accounted for 80% of Iran’s liquid-cargo exports for years and was then importing almost 100% of Iran’s oil and LPG exports. She said China could buy discounted Iranian oil and LPG while the trade enabled Iran to avoid sanctions.

The Jerusalem Post - The article said Iran has targeted vessels it considers to have violated passage restrictions as it seeks to assert control over the strait and pressure Washington.

HOW:

Fox News - Shelley said ghost-fleet vessels may switch off Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders, fly false flags, and use complex front companies. Some load cargo in the Persian Gulf, transit the Strait of Hormuz, and conduct ship-to-ship transfers in the Gulf of Oman.

Fox News - Shelley said U.S. forces primarily try to turn vessels around; using force against ships carrying flammable LPG presents heightened risk. She described LPG as primarily propane and butane, used for heating, cooking, transportation, and industrial production.

The Jerusalem Post - The IRGC said the tankers disabled navigation and identification systems and traveled along an unauthorized route despite warnings.

(UPDATED November 2, 2026 09:59 UTC)

A sanctioned tanker carrying Iranian gas reached China despite a U.S. blockade, investigators say. The vessel received offshore supplies near Malaysia before delivering roughly 500,000 barrels. Separately, Iran’s Guard claimed mines struck two tankers near the Strait of Hormuz.